It is the duty of the party treasurer to provide periodic timely financial reports. I can report that while we have accumulated a considerable asset position, our party liquidity has not been this low since our founding.

On the plus side, party assets have been secured in a sturdy chest with 3 locks. Currently keys are in the possession of Nas, Darya, and Jace. The latter is also looking into ways to install magical alarms/traps into the chest, though preliminary indications were not promising.

Chest pictured below:

And the full state of the party assets:

Edit: Since we plan to sell the magic weapons, they should be marked untithed as well.

I have written you this message in order to address some issues with your report. I do so as a token of good faith and trust. I also did not wish to embarass you in front of our compatriots. Actually, I was not sure if it would embarass you or not. Based on much experience with those of the Arcane Arts, I know pointing out issues can be taken as an offense. I of course mean none but had a few concerns.

It appears that there is a discrepncy on your balance sheet as I personally indicated to you that the following items were amongst the party treasure but are not currently listed.

1 cloak taken from first evil priest in ruined keep I believe it is a cloack of the bat but it has bever been identified.

1 longsword taken from swamp

1 Crossbow from inside the keep as well. Shoby used this until his weapon was found I am unaware if it is of a magical nature but stillmay be worth a small amount.

I am sure this was a mere oversight as I know there is much to inventory. I appreciate your efforts and thank you for the update.

Also if you are looking to trap the chest may I sugest talking to Jaya or even our new Dwarven friend I believe you will find both may have ideas that could be helpful.

On a completly Different note. When next I have time to train I wish for you to join me I have some ideas and skills I think we can work on together. They should increase your battle abilities and confidence. It will also keep you from dropping that wall of fog just before I fire my bow. Trust me you will enjoy this and may have further ideas to share so that we may work better as a team. I may also be able to teach you the language of Dragons.

After reading the note in the privacy of his room, Jace sat at the table with his head in his hands and let out a long sigh. Nas's demeanor was usually impenetrable, and unlike with Darya and the others, Jace never knew where he stood with him. He knew the elf was not overly impressed with his combat activities, and managing the party assets was one of the alternative ways he might contribute to the group. (The other being the tedious Identify spell).

Depressingly, this was the second time Nas had questioned his competence in that role. One would not believe the stoic and semi-mystical elf would keep much eye on the party treasury, but apparently little escaped his notice. That had become abundantly clear after he had commissioned the tri-lock chest to hold the loot. The chest he had presented to the group AFTER episode in Turelve where Jace had gotten overly excited at the spells available for purchase and blown a portion of the party treasury in a purchasing blitz. Nas had never confronted him or explicitly said anything to the rest of the group, but it was clear that using the chest henceforth was not an option, but a requirement.

Now this...losing track of the party assets. And Jace could muster no irritation at all at this being pointed out, as the elf was entirely correct. In fact, he could only feel gratitude as he was spared having yet another error pointed out in front of everyone.

The note did contain a few very rare gestures of outreach. Instead of just matter of factly pointing out the errors (as he would have expected from Nas) the note was prefaced with a courteous explanation. and ended with an invitation to help him with his combat tactics, which was exactly what Jace had been hoping for (but was reluctant to propose himself).

He debated slipping a note under Nas's door with a reply, but decided it would be better to do it in person. He took a deep breath and headed out of his room into the hallway of the inn, then stopped in front of Nas's door and knocked.

When Nas opened the door, Jace began: "Greetings, Nas. I did get your note. I wanted to thank you for pointing out the errors in the accounting I gave. Some of that was due to our custom of having group members directly take possession of equipment for use. However, I simply lost track of some items scattered across our various animal packs. Thanks for helping me to keep track of them. "

He swallowed and considered also apologizing for his mistake in Turelve, but it was simply too embarassing, and he wasn't sure how Nas would react....and he couldn't take another blow to the ego right now by getting scolded or worse. Instead he moved on to something more positive:

"I did note your proposal for working together more closely on the battlefield, and I am more than willing to devote time to coming up with a procedure that works better than what we are doing now. I know my obscuring of the battlefield is not always advantageous for us, and it would definitely help if I knew when you and Jaya- and now Shoby- would find it useful for the fog to be up or down. Maybe we could even have a code system!" He blurted out a little too excitedly, before realizing that sounded a somewhat juvenile.

He quickly continued before Nas could make light of that comment ("Would that ever happen?" he mused to himself). "I have been trying to improve my use of the Fog spells I have. I can pair it with a spell that lets me introduce an auditory or visual component to the Fog...I tried it when we faced the goblins, but they weren't scared. Now I am starting research on building a spell that would bestow vision through a fog, which would allow us to shoot through the fog, while the enemy could not see us. I actually had you in mind when I was designing it."

He thought Nas would react favorably to his entreaties, but he still held his breath a little as he waited for the reply.

Nas laughed silently inside his head as he opened the door. His note had obviously rattled the young mage as he thought it might. Otherwise he wouldhave remebered that Nas usually took nights on the roof of the inn. Rather he knocked on his door which was actually the room Jennilith had been taken from. Nas had asked early on for unlimited access to the room and was freely given it. It provided him ample oppurtunity to go over things seeing if he missed a sign or clue. It also provided access to the roof so it was through this window that the ranger usually slipped. When Jace knocked he expected the tavern keeper or even his son the betrothed of Jennilith so the mage's voice caught him off gaurd slightly until he recalled why he might be here.

"Actually that would be of great help. Although I had a few other ideas in mind. I was thinking of working with you in my next training so that we can time your spell to sync up with the release of my second shot. so that as soon as I release the shot your fog goes up blocking off other archers but not affecting mine. Its an elven strategy I have seen used but I am not sure how it works but perhaps we can figure it out. The second idea is for you to enchant some of my arrows with delayed spells so that as an example when the second arrow strikes its target the wall of fog explodes forth. It may even be helpful if we couldfind a way to bind some of the priest spells to them as well. A silence spell shot from 120 yards into the chest of an evil priest or mage maybe of a great use. Neither of these are easy but I believe you are capable."

"As to the accounting errors worry not I had expected such things from even the best. I would suggest you check with the others as I only noticed those I pointed out because they were in my possesion or had been."

"Now I know you have much work to do yet so I will let you retire and I shall go to the roof for the evening. The bats will soon be out and I doenjoy their aerial dances. I do have a request however could you tell the innkeeper I am done for the evening in here. he usually come up to lock the door after i have left. Good night Jace."

and with that Nas turned and lifted himself out the window and onto the roof careful to close the window behind him.